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Carl Barat performing at the Monarch during Camden Rocks |
Never mind the Barats!
REVIEW - CAMDEN ROCKS
Underworld/Monarch/Barfly/Prince of Wales
FOR all their crazy reputation, the rock ’n’ roll crowd who headed out to Camden Rocks on Saturday were surprisingly well-behaved.
That is, of course, until the final seconds when hundreds of fans tried to cram into the overcrowded Monarch in case Pete Doherty joined former Libertines bandmate Carl Barat. But he didn’t.
Away from that rock soap opera, local three-piece Let’s Wrestle tore apart the Monarch early on in the afternoon. Early single I Won’t Lie To You was an instant crowd favourite, complete with catchy hook and witty lyrics. Their post-punk chaos is sure to be compared to bands like Pavement and The Fall with its lo-fi charm and unorthodox lyrics.
Turbowolf had a similarly noisy and chaotic take on rock, with a slight disco take. Single Read and Write sounds fantastic – fun, energetic, loud and innovative all at once. The Paddingtons may be a band who wear their influences on their sleeves (Sex Pistols, Strokes, Clash), but their energetic set in the claustrophobic Barfly left us breathless.
Many will say Blackhole are riding on the fame of the lead singer’s brother (Frank Carter the Gallows), and we’d be nonplussed if called on to tell the two apart. They’re an aural attack of screeching guitars, larynx-shredding vocals and unmemorable basslines.
Haunts are a solid guitar band, despite the keyboards. Sadly the Barfly’s PA let them down. A little like XTC, but more vibrant, and younger.
Telegraphs, like Elbow, were strangely depressing, but in an enlightening way. Expect them to get big soon.
Kill Casino, heir apparent to the Sonic Youth crown, were frenetic, exuberant and lots of sweaty fun.
With help from “real” DJs, Sadie Frost produced a good set nonetheless. Don’t give up the day job. And what exactly IS her day job?
Sonic Boom Six are the sort of band Aerosmith and Run DMC can take full responsibility for, and The King Blues and Senser can claim to have inspired; filled with energy and a great laugh.
The TBA Band, from Hull, sounding like Kasabian and Oasis and bloody good. Look out for them, if you ever find out what they’re called.
Nine Black Alps gave the classiest show of the day. Tight, polished, brilliant musicians, brilliant performers and worth the ticket price alone. Stunning.
Sweaty and messy Carl Barat played to a crowd that loved every second. The Monarch was full early on, with hundreds left outside. Carl started with an acoustic set, then was joined by Dirty Pretty Things friends, bringing the house down at midnight, following police “advice” not to overrun due to health and safety concerns. A great end, but a pity the venue wasn’t larger.
BEN WHITE/
DAN AITCH
CAMDEN ROCKS PICTURE SPECIAL
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